Castleford coach Daryl Powell hits out at scheduling of Tigers and Hull FC games
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:54 pm
The Castleford coach isn't happy his side play the night before Hull in the race for the play-offs
Castleford coach Daryl Powell has questioned the decision of Super League bosses to bring forward his club’s final game of the regular season and potentially give rivals Hull FC a favour in the hunt for the last play-off spot.
Powell’s men leapfrogged Hull into fifth place with a 44-12 win over them in the penultimate round at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle last Thursday and victory at Wigan in the last match will cement a semi-final place.
However, defeat at the DW Stadium would give the Black and Whites the opportunity to reclaim fifth spot with a win over St Helens at the KCOM Stadium.
“I don’t think it’s great, to be honest,” Powell said. “If you’re going to put all the relegation games on the same day, is the play-offs not as important?
“I think they should have done (kicked off at the same time). That makes it fair for both teams.
“But it is what it is. We’ve just got and go and do our job and not think about getting a favour from anywhere.
“We’ve got to win a game and not worry about anything on the peripheries. But I think it could have been done a little better.”
Powell will check on the fitness of prop Grant Millington, who went off during the win over Hull with a “dead” leg, and loose forward Adam Milner who is expected to recover from illness.
Chris Clarkson is back in contention,” Powell said. “I’ve got a call to make there because he was really good before he got injured.
“The team’s going well so there’s not going to be too many changes. I think we’re in a good place.”
Wigan, who have a chance to clinch the runners-up spot going into the play-offs, expect to be without second rower Liam Farrell due to suspension but coach Adrian Lam hopes to have skipper Sean O’Loughlin and prop Ben Flower back from injury.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... fc-3301676
Castleford coach Daryl Powell has questioned the decision of Super League bosses to bring forward his club’s final game of the regular season and potentially give rivals Hull FC a favour in the hunt for the last play-off spot.
Powell’s men leapfrogged Hull into fifth place with a 44-12 win over them in the penultimate round at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle last Thursday and victory at Wigan in the last match will cement a semi-final place.
However, defeat at the DW Stadium would give the Black and Whites the opportunity to reclaim fifth spot with a win over St Helens at the KCOM Stadium.
“I don’t think it’s great, to be honest,” Powell said. “If you’re going to put all the relegation games on the same day, is the play-offs not as important?
“I think they should have done (kicked off at the same time). That makes it fair for both teams.
“But it is what it is. We’ve just got and go and do our job and not think about getting a favour from anywhere.
“We’ve got to win a game and not worry about anything on the peripheries. But I think it could have been done a little better.”
Powell will check on the fitness of prop Grant Millington, who went off during the win over Hull with a “dead” leg, and loose forward Adam Milner who is expected to recover from illness.
Chris Clarkson is back in contention,” Powell said. “I’ve got a call to make there because he was really good before he got injured.
“The team’s going well so there’s not going to be too many changes. I think we’re in a good place.”
Wigan, who have a chance to clinch the runners-up spot going into the play-offs, expect to be without second rower Liam Farrell due to suspension but coach Adrian Lam hopes to have skipper Sean O’Loughlin and prop Ben Flower back from injury.
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... fc-3301676